Why Math Is the Best Way to Make Sense of the World?

Across the globe, the practical knowledge of mathematics is derived from the great contribution of thinkers throughout the ages. This helps us in developing a clear understanding of patterns, quantification of the relationships as well as making accurate predictions about the future. Thus, we use world to understand the Mathematics which in return helps us in understanding the world.

Other than studying as a pure science, Mathematics finds its applications across the disciplines extending from the fields of Physics and engineering, it spreads indefinitely in learning about the growth rate of species, the wide-spread of disease, profit-loss dynamics in the business to the debit-credit formulae in banking and finance and the list goes on. These areas use the basic concepts of the subject such as Algebra I or II, probability, correlation, shapes and geometry and arithmetic operations.

The symmetries of mathematical objects make us sense of cosmological spaces, the universe, in which the earth spins itself and rotates around the sun, the sun, which is also rotating in the larger systems. All these rotations in the spaces and systems are symmetrical in nature which could gradually get complicated. For Example, the students can learn different types of polygons, could be used to tessellate the plane i.e., covering the space without any holes to understand the concepts of spaces.

Therefore, neat objects in mathematics (groups) are used to think about these problems of symmetries and to solve the equations in a simple way. The study of tessellations, the concept in geometry in which shapes are arranged in the artistic pattern, to be helped in using as a context in order to develop, discover, learn, teach and underpin the important geometric background of symmetry and transformations.

The concept of Algebra explains the causes of quick contamination of water and how this affects the population of third-world country annually, infecting them from water borne diseases. Furthermore, algebra is also helpful in calculating the long trajectories of moving objects, velocities of aircrafts, speed of stars and planets, as well as in developing the laws of nature. The study of geometry helps in establishing the sense of architectural designs embedded in the structures of world. Carpenters also use similar principles along with algebraic calculations to determine the quantities of the materials required e.g., the size and number of floorboards required to cover within a rectangular perimeter.

The knowledge of statistics is a significant area in estimating the probability of different tolls from natural disasters and calamities, man-made conflicts and violence in the world. Not only this, the concept of statistics gives a clear picture regarding the correlation among different living and non-living factors, prediction about profits, spread of concepts and repopulation of previously endangered species.

In making the sense of world through Mathematics, the study of contributions of other cultures is also significant in studying their number systems such as Babylonian systems which is a base 20 system and the Mayan system which is base 60 system. These elements are currently used in the Mathematics, for example., in geometry, the 360 degrees in a circle, similarly, the time intervals of hour into 60 minutes and minutes into seconds help in understanding the complex time concept of Earth, which eventually became an important part of every life.

Rebecca Goldin, a professor of mathematical sciences at George Mason in one of her interviews emphasized on changing the culture of journalism, the main purpose of behind which is to make people recognize the importance of quantitative arguments and equip them with relevant tools so that they can think about quantitative issues scientifically before jumping to the conclusions rather than selecting a study to support their agenda in order to minimize the likelihood of being bullied by the scientists who consider journalists less rigorous in their sense of quantitative skepticism.

The reason why Goldin put forth the idea of spreading awareness of quantitative information is because people tend to make irrational decisions about their health, lifestyle or professional objectives on the basis of their beliefs or insecurities rather than looking into the ground realities.

Hence, it could be a clear evaluation that mathematics is a powerful practical tool to understand and communicate at global level in order to solve complex real-life problems. Not only this, to function in the global context, the students can seek help from mathematics in order to get the global competence i.e., understanding multiple perspectives and current world conditions which helps in contemplating and communicating the globalized pattern of interconnected world issues.

For Example, one can learn about the news of outbreak of COVID-19 epidemic in China; however, is unable to draw connections and to assess the gravity of the problem without knowing the growth rate of corona virus in a dense population.